Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has emphasized that India and ASEAN share a clear interest in a peaceful, stable, and open Indo-Pacific region. Addressing the ASEAN-India Defence Think Tank Forum in New Delhi this morning, Mr Singh said that ASEAN is central to India’s Indo-Pacific vision and that India’s Act East Policy is a long-term commitment to working with Southeast Asia as an equal partner.  

 

Outlining practical steps for the forum, Mr Singh proposed developing a joint India-ASEAN research agenda focused on maritime security, disaster response, cyber threats, and emerging technologies

 

Mr. Singh highlighted that the Indian Ocean and the waters of Southeast Asia constitute a single connected maritime space, making its safety a shared responsibility. Pointing to the designation of 2026 as the ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation, he called for strengthening maritime domain awareness, improving information sharing, and building collective capabilities to respond to emergencies, piracy, and illegal fishing.